Koala Farms Induction

Our history

Fresh Choice (trading as Koala Farms) is a family owned business that was established in 1990 by Anthony Staatz. We have farms located in the Lockyer Valley and Darling Downs and we grow 12 months a year. Anthony is involved in the business so don't be surprised if Anthony shows up next to you to see how things are going or helps you and your team!

What we do

We grow a variety of vegetables and supply to international and domestic markets, some of our domestic customers are Coles, Woolworths and Aldi. As a supplier of fresh products our goal is to provide the best quality product at the lowest production costs. To do this, you, our employees, our culture and our processes are important.

Our Expectations

Code of conduct

Our Code of Conduct reflects who we are and what is important to us, that is why we count on every employee to follow our Code and make decisions that preserve the trust that our customers have placed in us. Our Code of Conduct is based on the following behaviours:

Leadership behaviour expectations are

• Integrity/honesty – in everything that you do

• Role model – positive and professional

• Decision making – best result for your team and our organisation

• Teamwork behaviour expectations are:

• Self managed – seek feedback, admit mistakes

• Builds and maintains relationships – care about your team

• Individual contributor – commit, enthusiastic

• Team player – give solutions, team focused

• Values difference and diversity – treat people with respect

Communication behaviour expectations are:

• Negotiation and influence - open, considered, positive

• Oral, written and presentation – clear

• Interpersonal – friendly, build rapport, team oriented

• Conflict resolution – address disagreements with respect

• Active listening – listen to others, seek clarity.

Business Understanding behaviour expectations are

• Understand business and vision – why we exist and what we produce

• Financial awareness – contain costs and maintain quality

• Business opportunity – pride in your work and our organisation

• Risk management – you understand the risks relevant to your part in our organisation.

Result Oriented behaviour expectations are

• Policies and procedures – you adhere to them

• Committed to organizational goals – do your best

• Focus on achieving results – follow directions, put the team/organisation success first

• Direction and structure – you complete all work as directed.

Customer Focus behaviour expectations are

• Quality management – you understand the quality standards

• Meeting customer expectations – your customers are anyone in your workplace or externally that is affected by the tasks you perform

• Innovation and improvement – you make improvement suggestions and think outside the box.

Policies

For Koala Farms to be successful we have a number of policies that help us in our day to day operations. These policies also ensure that we comply with legislation. It is important that you understand our expectations for the following policies:

• Workplace Health and Safety Policy

• Discrimination, Harassment Bullying Policy

• Grievance Resolution Policy

• Food Safety Management System including:

1. Health/Illness Policy

2. Hygiene Policy

3. Allergens Policy

4. Foreign Objects Policy

• No Smoking Policy

• Drug and Alcohol Policy

• Mobile Phone/Portable Music Policy

• Environmental Management Policy

Our Expectations

Workplace Health and Safety Policy

We are committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for all employees and to be compliant with legislation so far as reasonably practicable. Our goal is to have zero injuries. For us to achieve this you must:

• Take reasonable care of your own health and safety as well as co-workers

• Follow safe work procedures, instructions and rules

• Participate in safety training

• Report health and safety hazards including near misses to your Crew Leader

• Report all injuries and incidents to your Crew Leader

• Use safety equipment and personal protective equipment as instructed

• Encourage other employees to work in a safe manner

• Inform us of any pre-existing injuries or illness which may be affected by the work.

You must not:

• Perform a work task without prior training or instruction from your Crew Leader

• Operate machinery or vehicles without direct instruction from your Crew Leader

We believe that zero injuries is achieved through consultation and cooperation from you and by all of our employees.

Our Expectations

Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying Policy

We are committed to creating a work environment that is free from discrimination, victimization, sexual harassment, bullying, vilification and the seeking of unnecessary information on which discrimination, harassment and bullying are based. We consider these behaviours unacceptable and they will not be tolerated. We are an equal opportunity employer and expect that you will treat all employees with dignity, courtesy and respect.

Discrimination on the following grounds is unlawful:

• Race (including colour, descent or ancestry, nationality, national or ethnic origin) age (whether young or old)

• Impairment (including biological, functional, learning, physical, sensory, mobility, cognitive, psychological, psychiatric impairment or illnesses caused from diseases)

• Religious belief or activity

• Sex or gender identity

• Relationship status (married, single, divorced, separated, defector or in a same sex relationship.

Harassment and Sexual Harassment on the following grounds is unlawful:

• Unwelcome attention that might offend, humiliate or intimidate the employee

• Unwelcome sexual attention including uninvited touching, physical contact, leering, stalking, talking about sexual activity, sexual jokes or propositions, sexually offensive communication (phone, email, SMS, social media and other forms of communication)

Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying Policy

Bullying on the following grounds is unlawful:

Repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards an employee or a group of employees that creates a risk to their health and safety. This includes victimizing, humiliating, intimidating or threatening behaviour in person, by telephone, text messages, instant messaging and through social media.

This policy applies should discrimination, harassment or bullying behaviour occur:

• In the workplace during work activities

• In connection with work, even if it occurs outside of normal work hours

• At work related activities for example work-related social functions

• Where employees interact with colleagues or clients and their actions may affect them either directly or indirectly.

Your responsibilities are:

• To contribute to the creation of a discrimination, harassment and bully free workplace and a healthy workplace culture

• To treat each other with dignity, courtesy and respect and contribute to creating an inclusive work environment

All managers have an obligation to model appropriate behavior, promote this policy, treat all complaints seriously and attend to them promptly, monitor the work environment and seek expert help for matters should they arise.

You are to comply with this policy, report incidents to your manager and not participate in discriminatory or harassing behaviour.

Our Expectations

Grievance Policy

This policy aims to provide a quick and effective resolution of workplace grievances. While we have a formal grievance process it is believed that minor grievances will be dealt with more informally and serious more complex grievances are to be dealt with formally.

Informal grievance – either party may choose to involved their Supervisor or Farm Manager to facilitate a resolution. If the grievance can not be resolved at this level, then the HR Manager and or General Manager may be required to facilitate a resolution.

Formal grievance – the parties involved require management to facilitate a resolution. The steps to this process are:

Stage 1: Supervisor conciliation

Stage 2: Management level conciliation

Stage 3: HR conciliation

Grievances are to be addressed in a timely manner and are not be rushed. All parties involved in a grievance resolution process must keep matters pertaining to the process confidential. A breach of confidentiality by an employee may result in disciplinary action.

Incidents of a serious or unlawful nature should be reported immediately to the HR Manager and/or the General Manager.

A full version of the Grievance Resolution Policy and Procedure is available from your supervisor/Crew Leader, the HR Manager and through access to the Intranet.

Our Expectations

Food Safety Management System

We are committed to supplying produce that meets our customers standards. We have a Food Safety Management System and a Quality Assurance Management System in place to help us do this. These systems are incorporated from the start of the life cycle of each plant through to delivery to our customers. You play an important role in ensuring these systems are followed as part of your everyday job. By doing this, you help Koala Farms in delivering quality products that meet the standards expected by our customer.

You must follow our Food Safety Management System and Quality Assurance Management System that are supported by the following policies:

• Health/Illness Policy

• Hygiene Policy

• Allergens Policy

• Foreign Object Policy

Our Expectations

Health and Illness Policy

We are committed to providing quality products to our customers and it is important that you do not pose a threat to food safety while handling produce. If you are suffering from or carrying any communicable disease or are showing the following symptoms, you must report them to your Supervisor, Crew Leader or Farm Manager.

Symptoms of illness may include (but are not limited to):

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Fever

If you are showing symptoms of fever, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea you must not enter growing, packing or storage areas until clear of symptoms for 48 hours. Before returning to work, the Crew Leader will assess you based on one of the following for return to work clearance depending on your circumstances:

• A Doctor's certificate is produced by you indicating that you are fit to resume food handling activities; or

• That you are free of symptoms for 48 hours after suffering from fever, vomiting, nausea and/or diarrhea.

Our Expectations

Hygiene Policy

Our commitment is that good hygiene practices are essential when handling food products. It is our policy that you do not pose a threat to food safety while handling produce. To ensure that standards are met the following must be followed by you:

• Wear clean clothes at the beginning of each day

• Wash (using soap), dry hands and apply hand sanitizer before handling produce (both in-field and in the packing shed) and after using the toilet, eating or smoking, handling animals, removing waste or at any other time when there is a risk of contaminating produce

• Regularly change disposable gloves (if worn) after using the toilet, eating or smoking, handling animals, removing waste or at any other time when there is a risk of contamination produce

• Regularly sanitise reusable gloves (if worn) after using the toilet, eating or smoking, handling animals, removing waste or at any other time when there is a risk of contamination produce

You must:

• Not take personal items (e.g. pens, personal mobile phones) or wear jewellery (except a plain wedding band)into growing, packing, handling and storage areas. An exception is made for plastic drinking containers filled with water and phones that are a requirement of the employees job

• Not smoke, eat or spit in growing, packing, handling and storage areas.

• Long hair must be tied up

• Report any situations that could affect food safety or produce quality to your Supervisor or Crew Leader

Our Expectations

Allergens Policy

We are committed to providing allergen free produce to our customers. Allergens are substances that can cause a hypersensitive immune response (allergic reaction).

You must thoroughly wash your hands before touching any produce, as traces of these products could be left on the produce and purchased by a customer with an allergy. The following foods/allergens of concern are:

• Peanuts and soybeans

• Added sulphites in concentrations of 10mg/kg or more

• Milk and milk products

• Crustacea

• Fish and fish products

• Eggs and egg products

• Cereals containing gluten and their products, namely wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt and their hybridized strains other than where these substances are present in beer and spirits.

Our Expectations

No Smoking Policy

We are committed to protecting the health of our employees, contractors and visitors by eliminating exposure to smoke in and around our buildings and facilities including shared vehicles.

All employees are responsible for ensuring that our business is maintained as a smoke free environment by complying with the provisions of this policy.

Smoking is not permitted within 5 meters of our production areas and that designated smoking areas have been established. This is done to prevent the drift of smoke into smoke free environments. Employees are responsible for ensuring that any waste, such as cigarette butts are properly and safely disposed of.

IN THE FIELD

Always smoke near the portable toilet and put the cigarette butt in the ashtray.

AROUND THE SHEDS

There are designated smoking areas on every farm. It can be identified by the sign in this image.

Our Expectations

Drug and Alcohol Policy

We are committed to achieving a healthy and safe working environment for all of our employees. We recognize that alcohol, drug and other substance abuse by employees can have serious adverse effects on their health and the safety of others.

You must not:

• Work while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

• Consume alcohol and/or drugs during work

• Possess, distribute, sell, use or consume illegal drugs in the workplace

• Drive company vehicles or operate machinery under the influence of drugs and alcohol

If you suspect an employee to be affected by drugs or alcohol you must inform the Crew Leader immediately. No employee will be allowed to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol at any time.

If you are taking prescription or pharmacy drugs for medical purposes, you will not breach this policy. We may request you provide a medical certificate to ensure that you are fit for duty if you are required to take prescription medication.

We may issue drug and alcohol testing with or without prior notice. If you refuse to undergo a Drug Screen test and/or Alcohol Screen test or you provide false information, this constitutes a breach of this policy.

Our Expectations

Mobile Phone & Music Device Policy

We are committed to providing a safe work environment for our employees. The use of mobile phones and other portable music devices is not permitted during work unless the Crew Leader provides permission.

If the Crew Leader provides permission then the employee is only permitted to use one earphone (not two) so that the employee can hear and following instructions, hear alarms and not be distracted from work tasks or be compromised from completing work tasks.

• Wireless earphones are not permitted as they may fall into produce.

• Koala Farms is not responsible for any damage caused to employee music devices.

The Crew Leader provides permission, then the employee is only permitted to wear one ear phone (not two). This is so the employee can hear and following instructions, hear alarms and not be distracted from work tasks or be compromised from completing work tasks.

Our Expectations

Environmental Policy

Our Environmental Management policy is built on 4 pillars:

1. Sustainability - We take into consideration how farming impacts our environment

2. Biodiversity - We are committed to creating a bio diverse environment on our farm

3. Carbon reduction - We are looking for opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint

4. Community - We are committed to creating an environmentally friendly community

These 4 pillars guide us a business to consider better environmental practice on our farms. We care about our environment and we are always looking for ways to improve and we expect our employees to do so too.

We expect our employees to:

1. Take pride in the workplace, keep it tidy and put rubbish in the designated bins

2. Be environmentally conscious and recommend improvements to minimise environmental impact.

Our Expectations

Complying with this Induction and Policies

Koala Farms endeavors to create a positive work environment for all of our employees. We expect you to understand the requirements of your role and that you follow and support the requirements of this induction and each of our policies listed in this induction.

You are able to access the full policies listed in this induction by asking your Crew Leader, contacting HR or by accessing on the RapidGlobal app.

If you do not comply with this induction and these policies then you will be in breach which may lead to disciplinary action or termination of employment.